In the treatment of patients suffering from various respiratory problems, either acute or chronic in nature, involving the lungs, bronchia, etc., it is often necessary to test the breathing capacity of the patient. The inhalation valve of our prior application Ser. No. 394,403 serves admirably for such purpose as does the transducer circuit of our application Ser. No. 415,735. However, we have found that better results and better breathing efficiency can be attained when definite goals are set for the patient, which goals can be visualized, and wherein the patient can visually ascertain when he has reached a goal or approached it.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an inhalation valve therapy apparatus in which goals for breathing capacity can be pre-set and visualized for the patient, and wherein a patient can personally see whether he attains the goal, or just how close he comes to attainment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide inhalation therapy apparatus utilizing a disposable or throw away mouthpiece, wherein the patient can personally visualize his progress.
In attaining the foregoing and other and further objects we have provided an inhalation therapy apparatus having a disposable or throw away mouthpiece. Knowing that no one previously has utilized a particular mouthpiece or will ever use it again, enchances the patient's feeling of well being, and tends to maximize his breathing capacity.
A mouthpiece of the present invention is connected by one or two flexible pneumatic tubes of small diameter and light weight to an electronic module having various advantages for the patient. The electronic module has provision for pre-selecting a goal which the patient will hope to attain. The goal can be set by the patient personally, or the patient can participate in the selection. A visual display is made of the goal as set, and when the patient inhales a visual display is made of the level of attainment, immediately adjacent to the visual display of the goal. Since the patient can see the side by side comparison, there is a greater incentive for him to try harder, and thereby to inhale more deeply than he otherwise would be likely to do without the visual incentive. The electronic module further provides a visual recordation of the goals attempted and the number of times the goal has been achieved.
The mouthpiece or inhalation valve of the present invention may further be used in conjunction with a commercial nebulizer to introduce medication to the patient's bronchia and lungs as an incident to the testing of his inhalation.